A 7-year-old boy is back in school and undergoing therapy after two dogs escaped through an open gate and attacked him at a bus stop near Briarwood Drive and Hillside Place in Charles County earlier this month. Both animals involved, a brindle bully-type dog named Dice and a brown female dog named Izzo, have since been surrendered to county authorities, and Dice was scheduled for euthanasia.
The attack unfolded on the morning of September 3, when the boy was bitten on his right calf, scratched on his left arm, bitten near his right armpit, and left with abrasions on his nose, according to The BayNet. He was transported by ambulance to University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center.
A witness, Ayana Flowers, told the outlet she saw both dogs circling the child and his mother, and that the attack continued for several minutes. The brown dog, Izzo, followed the family home afterward and remained near their door even after Flowers grabbed one of the animals. “He's afraid of everything now,” Flowers said of the boy, who has begun therapy to cope with the aftermath.
How the Dogs Got Loose
Charles County Animal Control Officer Schrader testified during a September 16 hearing that Dice and Izzo escaped the property because a gate had been left open, allowing them to reach the children waiting at the bus stop. The dogs' owner, Wataan D. Austin, testified that Izzo had begun staying around his property several weeks earlier before the attack. Austin surrendered Izzo and later surrendered Dice to the Charles County Animal Care Center on September 16.
Austin told the hearing board he did not want to reclaim Dice if the dog had participated in the attack. “For me, it's about the child. It's not even about the dog,” he said. Neither dog will be returned to the neighborhood.
Euthanasia and the Rabies Quarantine Requirement
Dice was scheduled to be euthanized on Thursday, September 17, after completing the required rabies quarantine.
Charles County officials previously flagged the Briarwood Drive and Route 228 corridor for elevated rabies risk. In 2023, the Charles County Department of Health issued a public rabies alert for that stretch of the neighborhood after confirmed rabies cases turned up in wild skunks and raccoons in the immediate vicinity.
Citation Against the Owner Dismissed
The Charles County Animal Matters Hearing Board, meeting on September 16, ultimately dismissed Citation 7586 against Austin. That citation had included allegations involving licensing, rabies documentation, allowing the dog to run at large, and dangerous or potentially dangerous behavior.
The hearing board itself was established under County Bill #2011-07 to determine whether domestic animals pose a public nuisance or dangerous threat under county code, according to Charles County Government. In April 2026, the Charles County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed Bill 2026-02 to adjust member compensation for the board following recommendations from the county's 2025 Compensation Commission.
What Maryland Law Says About Owner Liability
While the county's administrative citation against Austin was dismissed, that process is separate from Maryland's civil liability framework. Under Maryland Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-1901, dog owners face strict civil liability for injuries caused by a dog running at large, which establishes a rebuttable presumption that the owner knew or should have known of the animal's dangerous propensities, according to Justia Law.
Whether the boy's family intends to pursue independent civil compensation remains an open question.
What Officials Are Telling Residents
County officials are urging residents not to approach or attempt to capture an aggressive animal when doing so could put people at risk. Residents are asked to keep gates secured, properly contain their animals, and report loose or aggressive dogs to authorities. Anyone bitten or scratched by an animal should seek medical attention promptly.
Charles County Animal Care and Control can be reached at 301-609-3425 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or after hours at 301-743-2222. The Charles County Department of Health can be contacted regarding animal bites and possible rabies exposures at 301-609-6751. Anyone who sees an animal actively attacking a person or creating an immediate threat is urged to call 911.
